Music Direction, Composition, and Performance within a Shinto Ritual Context

On April 9, 2026, Taro Ishida directed, composed, and performed a ceremonial offering concert at the Grand Festival of Kasama Inari Shrine.

This performance followed the offering concert held in 2025 to commemorate the restoration of the shrine’s main hall. The project was subsequently recognized and developed into a central part of the Grand Festival—one of the most important annual rituals of the shrine.

The performance took place inside the main hall as an integral element of the Shinto ceremony.
Ishida performed alongside four gagaku musicians and three classical musicians, presenting a program that included traditional gagaku repertoire and kagura, as well as newly composed works based on gagaku.

This project extended beyond a conventional concert format.
It was conceived within the structural framework of a ritual, exploring how traditional forms of sacred music can be connected with contemporary musical expression.

Attendance was limited to invited participants within the shrine, with approximately 250 attendees, including senior members of the shrine community. The performance was received with strong appreciation, and a continuation of the offering concert for the following year has already been confirmed.

This project represents a process in which an experimental offering performance developed into a central ritual practice, establishing a model for sustained cultural activity within a traditional context.